MM

One of many things that made the city what it is was the idea of trade fairs or "Messe" in German using sample goods to get orders rather than selling goods that were physically on display. The samples, or "Muster" gave the inspiration for the city's symbol "MM" for "Muster Messe"

thinking back 20 years

People here are very conscious of their part in the overthrow of the old DDR. Now a memorial is to be put up somewhwere in the city at very great expense. The St Nicolas Church was a central point for the demonstartors and a lot of people think that this copy of a column from inside the church is already sufficient.

More Russian influence. This time it's the Old Fairs and Convention Centre. The Red Star is a leftover of the Russian presence here between 1945 and 1989. There has been talk of using the premise for a Memorial for the Jewish People who once were a significant part of our culture. The star is creating controversy.

Passages

Long before shopping centres we had arcades. You really can cross the old town centre without needing an umbrella!

Heron?

In the cold snap a lot of lakes etc froze over so this chap ( and 4 more who didn't want to pose) found a bit of open river in the middle of town

New Bridge of Sighs

The footbridge connects two banking buildings. One of them is the ex Landesbank Sachsen, where some people forgot what banks are for and played fast and loose with the tax-payer's money. The bonuses weren't bad though!

The Russian Church

Actually it was built to commemorate the many Russian soldiers who died at the Battle of Leipzig (18th Oct 1813) but now it's a favourite gathering place for the many "Russian Germans" who have comeback to the homeland of their German ancestors. They were encouraged to settle near the Volga River by Catherine the Great- and experienced hard times later under Stalin. In Russia the were the "Volga Germans"

whats this?

Is it a Darlek? Or something more sinister? No it's just there to house surveying equipment. Under the main station behind it, they are tunneling out an underground station and they prefer to know before its too late if the ground starts to move.

Fairytale Estate

All the streets in this 1920's housing estate have names from fairytales. There's also a Hanselweg, little Red Riding Hood Way, Sleeping Beauty Way and many others too. In Breslau before the war there was a similar estate. Their Gretelweg is now called Edwarda Abramowskiego. Not the same, is it?